


I Know This is the Part Where the End Starts

by guardiancastiel



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: BDSM, Crime, F/F, F/M, Firebending play, M/M, Murder, Murder Mystery, Pyromania, Serial Killer, pyrophilia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-23
Packaged: 2018-03-10 14:33:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3293888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guardiancastiel/pseuds/guardiancastiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako is a homicide detective having difficulty adjusting to his new job. He's feeling the anxiety of going through the world with his loved ones off to their own adventures. While entangled in a new case of a possible serial killer on the loose in Republic City, he encounters General Iroh II back in the city on vacation. The General provides Mako with a welcomed distraction from the sordid world of homicide, but will Mako remained focused on the case or will it go cold till another death occurs?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This is Where the End Starts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iroh is set up on a date with Wen by his grandfather, Lord Zuko. They go on a brief date and then Iroh is quickly introduced to Wen's dark desires.

Iroh wondered why his grandfather, Lord Zuko, would think Wen would be a good suitor. Looking at his companion in the low light of his bedroom, he saw all the superficial reasons why his grandfather would set the two up. Wen was handsome and on their brief date earlier in the night Iroh had saw a great deal of passion behind the man. But they were nothing alike. 

“Are you ready to go again?” Wen asked as he sat up in bed – thin sheets falling down to his lap revealing a heavily scarred chest. Iroh laughed and eyed the man's chest questioningly. He admired Wen's stamina but the scars intrigued him more than another round between the sheets. 

Still, Wen took Iroh's hand in his and led it to his chest to an area free of scars. 

“Do it again,” Wen instructed.

Iroh had some idea where the scars could've come from. _We are nothing alike_ , Iroh thought. Wen liked to tread a dangerous line sexually. Had his passions led him to dangerous desires?

Iroh hoped it would be their last encounter – he feared he could only indulge Wen this once. 

He rubbed Wen's chest and rested it over his heart – free from burn scars. Iroh's palm began to heat and Wen squirmed underneath his touch. As the heat from his hand began to rise, he pressed his lips to Wen's to stifle the man's moans. 

Fire – the element of power required great control and despite how much the man begged, Iroh did not want to burn Wen.

Iroh withdrew his hand and felt Wen's keen bite at his lips. 

“You stopped,” he hissed. Wen stood from the bed angrily and walked towards the bay windows that allowed moonlight to pour into room. 

It was the first time in the night that Iroh could see Wen's fully naked body. His back was just as scared as the front – most looked like burn scars.

“Do you have a thing for Firebenders?” Iroh asked, plainly. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Wen snapped, as he shot a disgruntled look over his shoulder toward Iroh. 

Iroh stood from the bed and joined Wen at the windows. Gently, his fingers trailed over the scars that covered Wen's back up to one scar over his right shoulder blade which was a complete imprint of a hand. Wen shrugged off his touch as he reached it. 

“It seems you have a proclivity towards us,” Iroh contiued. “An unhealthy one.”

“What? That?” Wen raised his right shoulder and dropped it. “ _He_ was a tad possessive.” He turned to Iroh to face him completely and pointed towards his abdomen where four thin scars stretched from one point of his stomach all the way across to the other side. “Now, _she_ just liked the smell of burning flesh. She _was_ unhealthy.”

Iroh grimaced at his words.

“Don't worry Iroh, I don't have an inclination towards Firebenders. I sometimes find myself entangled with the wrong types of people – most of whom are Benders. They're the only ones who can satisfy my desires. In fact,” Wen rubbed his wrists, which looked bruised. “Metalbenders really know how to chain a guy up, so no, I'm not fixed on Firebenders. I am an adult and I know what I like.”

Iroh blushed. He seemed so old fashioned next to Wen. In different circumstances, he might consider exploring Wen's desires further but in his heart and mind he knew there was someone else for him. His thoughts drifted to a young detective back in Republic City. 

Wen smiled. “Who are you thinking of?”

“Someone in Republic City that I was seeing casually before coming home.”

“A boy?”

Iroh grinned slyly and nodded. 

Wen hummed and walked back towards the bed. “So are we going again or not?”


	2. The Boy From Republic City: Hard-boiled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A family is murdered and Mako feels in over his head in his new job. The stress of being alone is weighing heavy on him - will he break himself before he catches a break in his case?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll notice this story is not in chronological order.

Sometime in the still of the night the silence broke at the spark of a fire.

The smell of burnt flesh cut threw the darkness like a swift blade – by the look of disgust on his fellow police officers twisted faces he surmised that none of them were as familiar with the smell as he was.

Mako knew it too well and, without intent to show off, he crouched closely over the charred bodies of the Pha family.

“Evidence is going to be hard to collect,” he whispered to himself. “From the bodies at least.

He stood and scanned the small home.

_They were preparing dinner_ , he thought as he wandered into the kitchen. _They were interrupted_.

A pot on the stove was filled to the brim with some unrecognizable burnt food.

“Spirits!”

Mako turned his gaze to Detective Lee who had just walked into the home. The older man pushed past the uniformed officers searching for evidence around the living room. As he neared the scene, he shook out a stained handkerchief from his coat pocket and held it over his nose. 

“What do we have here?” He asked in his low gruff tone. “Spirits, it's just like the Lin family.”

“Same method of operation,” Mako added. “No signs of forced entry and zero signs of a struggle.”

“I'm thinking crazed Firebender!” 

Mako bit the inside of his cheek and held his tongue as Detective Lee eyed him over the cover of his tattered handkerchief. 

“It's in the realm of possibilities,” he said, calmly. “But let's not jump to conclusions.”

“I didn't mean to offend you, kid,” Lee replied, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

&&&

He had been transferred to the homicide department after fulfilling is duties to Prince Wu. While Mako was glad to be back on the force he felt himself overwhelmed by the new adjustment. Part of him felt it was stupid to believe becoming a homicide detective would be somewhat easier than being on Team Avatar. Sure, he had helped saved the world a few times but being in homicide seemed huge in comparison. 

He concluded that his anxieties were in part due to being somewhat lonely during his transition. Bolin and Opal were spending time in Zaofu and Korra and Asami were still on vacation in the Spirit World. He tried to keep in contact with his grandmother and other family members but quickly found that sharing the burdens of his work duties with them was something they couldn't handle.

After having inspected the home of the Pha family and ordering a few of the uniformed officers to canvas the neighborhood he headed back to the police station.

“Did you secure the crime scene?” Captain Wong asked as soon as Mako sunk into the chair at his desk. “I can't have this mess splashed all over the papers by morning. We'll create more panic than we need and give the bastard who did this a head start out of town before we get a solid lead!”

“Uh, yes sir!” Mako sprang from his chair and saluted his Captain; a nervous habit he had never shaken. 

“For Spirits sake, Mako pull yourself together! I went out on a limb hiring you at the recommendation of Chief Beifong – don't make me regret it. Now get out of here and get some rest, I need your mind focused and ready first thing tomorrow morning!”

His burly Captain marched off and Mako relaxed, dropping his hand from his forehead. Before leaving the offices of the station he picked up a few cold case files of a family who died in a similar fashion to the Pha family. 

In the darkness of his apartment he opened the old case files – a waterfall of crime scene photos came pouring out into his lap. 

He lit a candle at his bedside.

Even in the low light the vivid images he held in his hands seared their content into his memory. He hadn't forgotten the Lin family or the promise he made to the mother of the wife killed in the crime – the homicide department hit a dead end with the case over a month ago. 

Mako sighed heavily and shoved the photos back into their folder. He rubbed his temples and waved out the small flame of the candle. 

Crawling into bed he felt the heavy weight of anxiety bear down on his chest. He felt the need to prove himself at work, he felt the need to capture a killer (or killers) before they laid more waste on the City, and most of all he felt the need to find companionship so he could face the horror world with some support.


	3. Firestarter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Iroh has arrived in Republic City and Mako has a hunch on his case. Will their chance meeting break Mako's workaholic streak and possibly jeopardize the case?

_Vacation._

Iroh didn't know the meaning of the word. His grandfather had pressured him into the expedition. He supposed his grandfather had been feeling a little guilty for setting him up with so many failed blind dates while he had been home. Internally, Iroh found it comical that _the_ Lord Zuko in his old, wise age was trying to play matchmaker. 

_Grandfather needs new hobbies_ , he thought. _Besides matching-making and tea brewing._

In the distance, he could see the docks of Republic City. Iroh had decided that returning to the location of his last battle was fitting – even if his grandfather did not agree. Iroh had argued that Ember Island was the ultimate vacation destination but since it was already his permanent residence he was entirely subject to choose whatever place he wanted. 

President Raiko had heard of his plans to vacation in the city and had promptly sent him a message inviting him to dinner the evening he arrived. Iroh was glad to have instant plans other than his own of sight seeing. 

The city had been expanding from its original limits – forced to grow due to the new spirit portal that had been created downtown. While he looked forward to exploring the city, it's new infrastructures, and relaxing before his deployment at the end of the year – he looked forward to some companionship. 

His ship docked; he gathered his traveling pack and headed into the city. 

&&&

That morning Mako threw back two cups of stale black coffee before he met Detective Lee back at the office. 

“Anything?” He asked, as he passed the disheveled man who was hunched over his desk going through a mountain of paperwork. 

“Nothing solid.” Lee pointed to a notepad he had been scribbling on. “No eyewitnesses and no one heard anything. Can you believe that?” 

Mako could sense the aggravation behind his question. 

“It was dinner time, Lee.” He offered, which didn't wash any sign of relief over the older man's tense expression. “People were cooking, eating, listening to their evening shows over the radio. No one had their ears to wall waiting for a murder to happen.” 

“We had uniforms question every family in the neighborhood. The Pha family were nothing short of saints – they were business owners.” 

Mako finally settled into his desk. “Oh, yeah? What business?” 

“Just a local bakery. Their son was eight years old, just like the son of the Lin family.” 

Mako nodded. “It's a pattern.” 

“What are you thinking, kid?” Lee raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Lee! Mako! Get your asses in my office now!” Captain Wong boomed from his office. 

Both men shuffled themselves into their disgruntled Captain's office shutting the door behind them. 

“You two are leading this case,” the Captain stated plainly. “Lee reports that we don't have any solid leads.” He shot a venomous look at Mako. 

“Well no, sir. Not yet. But this case could be connected to the Lin case earlier in the year. I think we should reopen that case and look into the leads we had then. Make any possible connections we have from suspects and evidence – then and now.” 

Mako didn't want to say it outright but he feared they had a serial killer on their hands. 

Captain Wong growled under his breath. “Fellas, I'm holding a press conference this afternoon. President Raiko wants this threat neutralized – he doesn't want the city in panic left to their own gossip vines. I'd like to tell them we have a lead, a suspect!” He spat. “I'll try to be as vague as possible but I want you two to hit the streets now!” 

Both men scrambled out of Wong's office. 

“And Mako!” He called out. “Make the connection!” 

&&&

Iroh checked into his hotel. His plan was to relax before having dinner with President Raiko but as he was being lead to his suite the concierge informed him the President had to cancel their plans. 

“Did he say why?” Iroh questioned. 

The concierge shook her head. “He has a press conference to attend this afternoon among other things – he is a very busy man,” she added, a bit annoyed. 

Iroh didn't feel like being patronized. As soon as she showed him to his suite he thanked her and refused her offers of anymore assistance. 

His first vacation day in Republic City was already off to a rocky start, he was starting to think that he should have listened to his grandfather instead and chosen a different location. He chided himself internally and concluded that one canceled event wasn't a disaster. There were many people he knew from Republic City – ship mates, past lovers and the like – that he could call up. 

He considered for a moment filling up his empty agenda but chose instead to sight see the town and grab a quiet lunch. 

&&&

“He was such a great boss!” Ping, the delivery boy for the Pha Bakery, wailed and blew his nose into Detective Lee's handkerchief. “The whole family was good to me. Oh their son was like a little brother!” 

“Yeah, Ping it's a real shame,” Lee said, unsympathetically. 

Mako raised his eyebrows and shot Lee a look of reproval. “Look, Ping, do you know if Mr. Pha had any enemies? Perhaps a disgruntled customer?” 

“You think someone set them on fire over some lousy hot cakes or a bad batch of molten buns?” Ping spat. “No!” he added. “They didn't have any enemies – none that I saw or knew of.” 

Mako jotted the facts in his small notepad. 

"Have you seen anything out of the ordinary? Anyone suspicious hanging around?” Detective Lee prodded further. 

Ping shook his head, snorted and again blew heavily into Lee's already soaked handkerchief. “Nobody out of the ordinary or suspicious.” 

Mako could tell Lee was on his last nerve with the teary eyed young man, honestly he was too – mostly because they hadn't collected any substantial evidence. 

“Just contractors,” Ping said, lastly. 

"Contractors?” Lee asked. 

“Yes, the city is expanding. Mr. Pha wanted to build another bakery across town. Many contractors had visited the bakery to discuss the layout plans.” 

“Had he chosen a contractor?” Mako licked the tip of his pen and pressed it to his notepad ready to write. 

Ping shook his head. “Not sure. He didn't really discuss those matters with me.” 

Mako sighed and shoved his notepad and pen into his coat pocket. “Well, thank you for your time Ping. Please, don't hesitate to call the station if you remember anything else.” 

Lee handed the young man his business card and Ping returned the handkerchief, which Lee pinched between two fingers and quickly threw away as soon as Ping was out of sight. 

"Well let's break for lunch,” Lee suggested, as he rubbed his stomach. 

Mako nodded. He wasn't particularly hungry but he had hunch over the case that he wasn't quite willing to share with Lee so soon. 

“My apartment is not too far from here. You take the squad car, kid.” Lee threw him the keys. “I'll meet you back here in an hour or so, or whenever the Captain is done with his press conference,” he laughed. “My wife's good cooking and shit storm of a listening show for lunchtime!” 

Lee slapped him over the shoulder and marched off. 

Mako drove towards the park. 

When he wasn't reading over cases in the confines of his apartment he was reading them in the great spaces of Republic City park. The light was better there at least, the outdoors also surprisingly helped him concentrate over the facts. 

He found himself an empty park bench to sit at and set down his tattered briefcase besides him. 

_“Who could do this to my daughter? Who could this to her family? My grandson!”_

Mako recalled how hysterical Jan Lin's mother had been when he and Lee had delivered the news to her that her daughter and her daughter's family had been murdered. He remembered how Lee had forced him to be the bearer of the news – it was his first time. He would never forget it. 

_“Burned,”_ he had said softly. _“They were burned alive, ma'am.”_ He had to repeat for her. 

He had to catch her as she collapsed into him at his news. They carried her inside her home that night and questioned her briefly before they departed. 

While he had questioned her, Mako tried to remain brief. It was the older woman who carried on, mostly with nonsensical answers to his direct questions. 

_“Did they have any enemies?”_ He had asked. 

_“Shao just had his eighth birthday! He was so happy and we were so proud. Jan liked to garden. Oh but Kahn hated fire lilies! They were going to build a new home you know, but Jan liked living in the city. The suburbs were too quiet!”_

"They were going to build a new home,” Mako whispered to himself. He read her words over and over again. Both families were looking to build. 

He held the paperwork with her statements lightly and reached into his coat pocket fishing for the apple he had brought for lunch. A brisk wind blew through the park, blowing the fall leaves off the ground and Mako's papers out of his hand. 

Mako jetted up from the bench darting after the flying documents. He felt a small moment of panic when the wind began to pick up but before the papers got too far a heavy book came down on them. 

Mako dropped to his knees his hands over his work. The boot let up slightly and Mako slid the papers out from underneath it. 

“Thank you!” Mako exclaimed as he stood up, his breath hitching as soon as he saw the person standing in front of him. “General Iroh.” 

It was a genuine surprise. At first Mako hadn't recognized the General who had been so helpful to him and his friends in the past. He was dressed as a civilian albeit a finely dressed civilian. 

“Mako,” Iroh greeted him, his hand outstretched. 

Mako shook his hand enthusiastically. “General, you're back in Republic City.” 

“Briefly. I'm on vacation – if you can call it that.” 

“Oh,” Mako nodded. He began to brush the dirt off his documents, feeling oddly insecure around the older man. It had been a long while since he had spoken to anyone who wasn't another detective, victim or suspect. 

“How is the Avatar?” Iroh asked. 

“She's actually on vacation as well, in the Spirit World." 

"Well there's one destination I hadn't thought about while choosing vacationing spots. And the rest of Team Avatar?” 

“Ms. Sato is also in the Spirit World with Korra and my brother is visiting Zaofu with his girlfriend.” Mako shrugged. “And I'm here.” 

Iroh smirked. “Back to your detective duties?” 

Mako nodded as he began to walk back to the park bench he had been sitting at remembering his unattended briefcase. “All work and no play.” He replied, hearing the bitterness behind his words. As he reached his briefcase he carefully returned the Lin family's paperwork to their folders. 

“Not enjoying your work?” 

“I love my job,” Mako answered, mechanically. 

Iroh knew the demeanor too well – the overworked man, relentless in his pursuit for justice; never quitting till the job was done. He was familiar to the type of career that forced the worker into isolation; a job so terrible and infinite it would out live them. 

“This may seem forward Mako but if you are free tonight, would you like to join me for dinner?” 

Mako turned up from his briefcase, a surprised look on his face. Iroh was equally surprised with himself, but he couldn't help but sympathize with the young man. 

“A dinner date?” Mako squeaked, before he cleared his throat. “I mean, uh, yes. I'd like that." 

Iroh nodded, curtly. “Does Song's sound good? At around 8pm?” 

“Sounds fine.” 

“I'll see you then.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism is welcomed.


	4. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mako collects vague witness statements and prepares himself for his first date with General Iroh.

“The press dubbed our firebug The Firestarter!” Lee grumbled. “The Firestarter Murders is what's plastered on every hot print out right now!” He tapped on the folded newspaper in his lap.

Mako nodded slowly. He could hear Lee speaking but wasn't paying any attention; he had slid into deep thought.

General Iroh had asked him out on a date. Him. The thought of it made Mako feel nervously nauseous. He had never given much thought to the General other than distant admiration for the man. General Iroh was accomplished in his career, mature and intelligent. Mako had been a homicide detective for six months and was pretty sure he'd been wearing the same suit to work for the past four days.

A sharp snap dragged Mako out of this thoughts. He blinked momentarily, his eyes focusing on Lee's thick fingers in front of him. 

“Snap out of it! We're here, kid.” Lee jutted his chin towards the passenger window, a small suburban home just a short distance from their squad car. 

As Mako exited the car he hoped his final hours of work would pass quickly.

In the Lin case they had one eye witness – the old woman had been unreliable due to her poor eyesight and her description had been extremely vague but the detectives hoped that she might have remembered some other details valuable to their case.

“Like I told those detectives before, a tall man dressed in dark clothes!” The old woman spat as she adjusted her large glasses on the bridge of her nose. “That was all I could see. It was dark.”

“Yes, ma'am, but we were hoping you might have remembered something else. Anything at all,” Mako said, as he waited eagerly for her response, his notepad in hand.

The old woman nodded, her eyes darting between the two detectives. “Sometimes, I lay awake at night afraid that he might come back. Set me on fire,” she said venomously. “I curse my bad vision every day! There's only one other thing I remember, his hands.”

“His hands?” Piped Lee, he face twisted in a quizzical way. 

The old woman nodded. “I remember noticing how his hands were dark, as dark as his outfit. I think about it sometimes, and I ask myself, was he wearing gloves?”

Lee let out a booming laugh and the old woman shot him a pinched look. 

Mako elbowed his partner in the gut and gave his best, yet uncomfortable, smile at the elder. “You believe he was wearing gloves?” 

“Yes,” she asserted. “That's all.”

Mako wrote down her statements and thanked her.

“Well that was a waste of time,” Lee grumbled as he started the squad car. 

“Collecting evidence is never a waste of time. But I am ready to go home.” Mako tried not to sound too eager as he tucked his notepad into his briefcase. 

Lee eyed him skeptically as he pulled the car out onto the road. “I've never seen you ready to go home.”

Mako shrugged. He was notoriously a terrible liar and trying to get the slip on a veteran detective didn't sound like something he was at the level of accomplishing. 

“What do ya got going on tonight, kid?” 

“Just watch the road Lee and leave my business to me.” Mako smiled and tried not make eye contact with his partner. He was sure Lee was glaring at him, sizing him up, contemplating what possible activity could contend with the job. 

Mako put Lee out of his head for the rest of the car ride to the station. During his brisk walk home, he mentally played out the evening, picturing the many different directions the night could go in. He was excited and nervous – yet, he felt like he shouldn't over think the date. 

_It's just one date, with the possibility of more_ , he thought.

He shook the idea from his head, remembering the way his past relationships had played out. 

Mako was getting ahead of himself, letting his anxieties resurface to unnerve him. Determined to put the past behind him, he quickly began to ready himself for his date.

&&&

Mako was early and when he took a look at the restaurant Iroh had reservations for, he felt terribly under dressed.

He had thirty minutes before he was supposed to meet Iroh inside. He debated whether he should wait outside and watch Iroh walk in or wait inside at the bar and perhaps loosen his nerves a bit.

Mako hadn't dated in a while. To be honest he hadn't even thought about the idea of dating, but lately with Korra and Asami away on vacation and Bolin in Zaofu with Opal – he supposed he should say yes to an outing. 

Mako ran a nervous hand through his hair and decided loosening his nerves a bit with some alcohol might prevent his awkward side from embarrassing him too much. He made his way inside the restaurant and gave the hostess his name.

“Mako? Yes, your party has arrived they've been seated. Right this way,” the woman said. 

“My party? He's here?” Mako asked nervously. 

“Yes, the gentleman. He's been seated,” she replied, as she began to usher Mako towards the tables. 

He didn't want to follow her. As his heart began to beat through his chest, he felt the urge to turn around and run out the front door or perhaps make a B-line for the bar and wait a little. 

But Mako followed the hostess through the crowd of seated patrons. She lead him between multiple tables – some with large groups of people and some with just couples. Many of the diners had smiles on their faces, carrying on conversations that, in passing, Mako only caught small bits of. It calmed him a little to see people interacting so normally and not awkwardly like he felt the night might go for him.

The hostess began to slow and then Mako saw him.

Iroh was standing a few feet away from them, his hands folded behind his back in that typical military stance that Mako was so used to seeing him in. He was not in uniform but formally dressed.

Mako felt a rush of heat wash over his face. 

The hostess outstretched an arm towards the table and moved to pull out Mako's chair.

“I've got that,” Iroh said politely. With that the hostess took her leave and Iroh pulled out Mako's chair for him. 

“Thank you, General.” 

“Please, just Iroh.” The older man smiled down at Mako.

Techinally, it was the first time Mako had seen the man smile. As acquaintances they rarely saw each other, which is partly why he was surprised when Iroh asked him for a date. 

“You're early,” Iroh stated as he slid into his seat across from Mako. 

“You're early!” Mako replied nervously. “ _er_.” He added and laughed anxiously. _Smooth_ , he thought.

Iroh smiled again, the flash of his brilliant white teeth causing Mako to grin. 

_If he can find me awkwardly endearing this date might go well for me_ , Mako thought as he relaxed into his seat. 

A waitress arrived promptly after that and presented them with menus. She recited the restaurant's special then subsequently handed them a wine list, which Iroh looked over briefly before choosing a wine Mako had never heard of before. 

The waitress left them to retrieve their wine and to look over their menus.

“Have you tried _baijiu_?” Iroh asked. 

“No, is it good?”

“I enjoy it with dinner on special occasions,” he smiled. “It translates as 'white wine' but it's actually a strong distilled spirit.”

Mako was glad. He wasn't an avid drinker but he was well aware of the positives of having a few drinks. 

The waitress returned with their bottle of _baijiu_ and she proceeded to pour it out for them into two small glasses. She gave them a few more minutes to decide on their meals. 

When she returned, Iroh ordered for the both of them after having asked Mako what he had chose. Which was something Mako had never experienced before. It was almost entirely obvious that the General, _Iroh_ , was trying to charm him. It made Mako want to smile wildly, possibly like a madman, if no one were around to see. 

“Tell me about your day,” Iroh said. It wasn't an order, like Mako might have expected such a statement to sound like coming from a military official. His tone was genuine, like someone wholeheartedly interested in the mundane details of another person's life. 

“Well, my partner and I, have been working on a case. You might have heard about it this afternoon.”

Iroh nodded. “The Firestarter murders.”

Mako winced – something about the title they had given the crimes irked him. Still, he nodded. “Yes, that's the case. I spent most of the day gathering witness statements and other information.” 

“Sounds tedious.”

“It gets to be sometimes, but the outcome is very much worth it.” Mako took a sip of the _baijiu_ and froze almost suddenly as he let the spirit travel down his throat. He eventually felt a subtle warmth settle into his chest before he set his glass down slowly. 

Iroh smirked as he noticed the younger man's facial expression. “It definitely has a taste to it.”

“It's, uh, savory,” Mako tried to describe. 

“Just tell me I didn't ruin your night and maybe my ego won't be completely shattered.”

“No, I like it. It's just something new.”

“I'm glad.”

“What about your day? How is your vacation treating you so far?”

“It's only been a few hours but so far it's going far better than I imagined.”

Mako tried not to blush, but he was entirely certain a flash of redness escaped onto his face, displaying his bashfulness for his date to see. 

When their food arrived, their conversation carried on – their topics remained light. Too many times, when Mako met someone new, they'd lean in very interested in the details of his job once he revealed that he was a homicide detective. His extended family would shrink back or nod mindlessly at any details, though rare, he would provide of current crimes. 

After Iroh's initial question concerning his day, nothing more of his profession came up. Mako didn't realize it at first but in a way he began to see that Iroh was providing him the same courtesy he wished others to give a soldier.

Mako could only imagine the questions Iroh was asked of his profession – what horrors had he seen, how many lives had he taken. 

They shared their hobbies, though Mako had so few. Iroh spoke fondly of his grandfather, Lord Zuko – who, Iroh admitted, had taken up match making for what Iroh believed was a play at becoming a great grandfather sooner rather than later. Mako could sympathize with that, his grandmother being the very same way. 

Between getting to know each other and dining, Mako completely lost track of the amount of _baijiu_ he had consumed. The room was spinning slightly, the atmosphere feeling heavier and heavier around him as he tried to listen intently to Iroh who was commenting on his meal. 

“I really enjoyed everything,” Iroh said, though his words seemed distorted to Mako's ears. Mako nodded slowly, trying to focus his eyes on Iroh's lips. “If you'll excuse me for a moment. I'm going to go pay our bill.”

Mako nodded slowly again and watched Iroh stand from his chair. He didn't allow himself to watch him walk away for fear he might induce a feeling of nausea. 

The spirit had helped ease his nerves, perhaps a little too much.

The air in the restaurant began to suffocate him, the mixture of aromas also did not help his situation. Where his awkwardness did not embarrass him, his drunken bumbling would. 

Then suddenly, he felt two heavy hands rest on his shoulders and the close hot breath of someone near his ear.

“You'll want to stand up slowly,” Iroh whispered into his ear. 

Mako felt like his heart had jumped into his throat but he quickly swallowed back the lump that feeling had created. He calmed himself and began to stand. 

Iroh had been right. If he had stood quicker, he was sure he would've ended up crashing forward into their table. His date offered him his arm, and Mako took it without hesitation. 

They exited and as soon as the cool night air hit Mako's face, he felt like he might fall over were it not for Iroh.

“I'll get us a cab,” Iroh paused and then added. “I'm sorry about the wine.” 

Mako laughed and shook his head as a cab approached. “I don't drink often. I just got carried away.”

The cab slowed and Iroh helped him into the cab before getting in himself.

“I want to make sure you get home okay.”

“I'll be fine,” Mako reassured and told the cab driver his address. 

“Still,” Iroh stressed. “Let me at least see you home.”

“I won't argue,” Mako said lastly. 

“I really enjoyed dinner with you, Mako.”

Just then, Mako noticed that they were shoulder to shoulder, and that the warmth coming from Iroh's body calmed him more than the spirit he had so carelessly consumed. It was a nice change from the loneliness; from the absence of physical touch. Although he it had been a while since he had dated anyone, the anxiety of the actual act seemed to leave him all together as he felt Iroh begin to reach for his hand in the darkness of the cab. 

Mako opened his hand that was resting on his leg and as Iroh began to reach for it, Mako could feel a slow build of heat emitting from their palms. The second before Iroh closed his hand over Mako's, a spark of blue electricity lit up the back of the cab.

Iroh hissed and then let out a small laugh as he rubbed the palm of his hand. 

The cabby eyed them through his rear view mirror, annoyed. 

Mako stared at his hand, surprised by what had just happened. 

“Let's try that again,” Iroh said, and without further hesitation he slipped his hand into Mako's. 

Mako smiled and then turned his gaze to the City moving quickly outside. The fast moving cab didn't help sober him but the hand resting in his, with a thumb caressing his palm, did. 

It was the start of something new, Mako could feel it. He wanted the feeling to wash over him in waves, and drown out the past. 

As the cab approached his apartment, in the distance passed his home, he could see the slow rise of smoke. There was something burning in the night again, and if there was something more sobering than the feeling he had just experienced, it was the harsh reality that there was a killer still free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, Iroh and Mako electric hand holding <3


End file.
